How do I change my makeup application as I get older?

According to beauty expert Christine Cho, the biggest change in your skin between your 40s and 60s is a loss of hydration.SeventyFour/iStockPhoto / Getty Images

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When we’re zooming through our morning routines on autopilot, getting stuck in a cosmetics rut is easy, no matter our age. Toronto-based makeup artist and on-air beauty expert Christine Cho says that no matter how old you are, you should take a moment with yourself before you start applying your makeup to set your intention for how you want to look that day.

According to Cho, the biggest change in your skin between your 40s and 60s is a loss of hydration, which should be addressed first by your skin care and then boosted by your choice of makeup products. “If you’re currently using a lot of powders on your face, use more hydrating liquid products such as a tinted moisturizer that’s a little bit lighter in coverage but higher in hydration,” she says. “Try to find some makeup with skin care built in.”

And when experimenting with new products, don’t feel pressured to follow trends or seek out a complete makeover. Start with an instant and affordable mood-changer such as lipstick. Personally, I can’t get enough of Rihanna’s new Slip Shine lipsticks, which are lightweight yet creamy and hydrate lips with ingredients like pomegranate oil.

As for your application, start by looking up. “Everything should be slightly uplifted in direction, whether it’s your blush, eyeliner, brows, lips. Think of your strokes as upwards and smiling,” Cho says. “And smile when you do your makeup. It sounds cheesy, but it really works. When your mood and intention shifts, so does your final look.”